A LUCKY Lottery winner has donated a huge slice of his winnings to boost the fortunes of his flagging football club.

Dean Hardman, 33, scooped £6.75m on the Euromillions draw.

Dean, who lives with his partner Stella Kelsall, 37, at the Crown Inn pub in Heywood near Rochdale, immediately quit work as a door-maker and bought a £17,000 new people carrier car.

But his love of Bury FC has remained as strong as ever - and now he has donated a five-figure sum to boost the club's coffers. The figure is undisclosed but is believed to run into tens of thousands of pounds.

Dean, a season ticket holder at Gigg Lane, said the donation comes on one condition - it must only be spent on players, not bills.

He said: "I'm no Roman Abramovich but just wanted to help.

"I have been a Bury fan for years and have been in a few meetings with the directors about this for a while.

Donation

"The club has not identified a player as yet but I want my donation to be spent on one. This is the largest outlay from my winnings that I have made so far."

Dean's life changed forever in November last year - as he sat in the pub.

Describing the moment he became a millionaire, he recalled: "We were all sat playing dominoes next to the television when the numbers came in. I just did not know what to think. It was just madness."

Dean won a total of £6,750,278.40 with winning numbers 12, 22, 32, 33, 36 and Lucky Star number 6 - one of four lucky dips he bought from a Heywood newsagent.

Bury are currently languishing in 22nd place in Division Two, one spot off the relegation zone, but Dean believes his donation can help bring glory days back to Gigg Lane.

He added: "Bury are struggling at the minute and I just wanted to help revive the club. We have got a couple of big games coming up and the manager has got pressure on his shoulders.

"I have not named any names regarding a player but a tough-tackling, ball-playing midfielder would be good."

The club has welcomed the donation and agreed to hold hospitality events at the Crown - and keep Dean up to date on how the money is being spent.